


Hindsight

by tehhumi



Category: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Based on a Tumblr Post, Eavesdropping, M/M, one time i dreamt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-09
Updated: 2019-11-09
Packaged: 2021-01-25 23:11:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,077
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21364216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tehhumi/pseuds/tehhumi
Summary: Celebrimbor narrowly avoids meeting his boyfriend's old boss.There is probably a more dignified way for the lord of Ost-in-Edhil to avoid conversations than hiding in a closet, but none as expedient.
Relationships: Annatar/Celebrimbor | Telperinquar
Comments: 4
Kudos: 65





	Hindsight

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by [this post](http://one-time-i-dreamt.tumblr.com/post/178246884636/i-was-hanging-around-at-my-boyfriends-place-in) by one-time-i-dreamt.

Annatar and Celebrimbor were in Ost-in-Edhil having another round of their regular debate on works with magical properties that only hold together because of that magic. (Annatar considered such a work the perfect expression of the union between form and function. Celebrimbor claimed it was lazy smithing, and if you couldn’t make the wire loop stay in place without magic the form did not suit the function of actually being worn.)

“If you see laziness in body and spirit relying on each other-” Annatar stopped suddenly, his eyes wide with fear. “Hide in the wardrobe.”

“What?" Celebrimbor asked, "Who would I hide from in my own rooms?”

“I am not in fact the mightiest being in Middle Earth. A very powerful Ainu I used to work with is approaching, and he won’t be happy I have shared so much with an incarnate. Get in, NOW.”

“Fine, but don’t think you get out of actually explaining your point.” Celebrimbor climbed into the wardrobe, and quickly turned to peer between the slats in the door. Annatar had said little about what he’d done between the forging of the Lamps and his arrival in Lindon. Any others of Aule’s maiar this side of the sea would have worked with him, and could hopefully tell Celebrimbor some very interesting stories.

Though, none of Aule’s maiar had come with the Host of the Valar, and Celebrimbor hadn’t seen any in Beleriand before that. The only Maia besides Annatar who Celebrimbor had heard even _rumors_ of knowing Aule was Morgoth’s lieutenant, and hopefully Sauron was not coming for a visit.

Although, that would explain why Annatar told him to hide…

Suddenly, there was a flash of darkness and a terrible noise, like every hinge in the city had rusted shut and they were all forced open in an instant. A figure appeared in the room, elf-shaped but impossible to discern more than a silhouette. The figure cast shadows without being illuminated, parts of the room getting darker in spikes out from it.

Annatar, who frequently referred to Manwe himself as ‘that big blowhard,’ knelt. “My lord.”

“Get up,” the figure snarled. “No need to look even more pathetic. I had expected you to come get me by now; I had to break out myself.”

“I apologize my lord. I am not strong enough rip open the wall between worlds unaided, but I have been making artifacts to increase the wearer’s power.”

“You’ve been forging here, in an elf’s bed chamber?”

“The elves have a lot of useful tools and rare materials, my lord. It was faster for me to live among them and use their resources than to conquer Middle Earth again.”

“Fine, hopefully some of what you’ve made will be useful. How stands Angband?”

“I am afraid it does not stand, my lord. The Valar sank nearly all of Beleriand into the sea, so greatly they feared your influence.”

Morgoth huffed in frustration. The Dark Vala himself was in Ost-in-Edhil, in Celebrimbor’s _bedroom,_ and there was no way for him to get out and warn the city. And Annatar said they’d worked together, which meant Annatar…

Annatar spoke up quickly, trying to placate Morgoth. “The elves have spread eastward, but very few have crossed the Hithaeglir. There are some Men there, who can be easily swayed, and a large number of orcs as well. We can rebuild a stronghold in the east, and conquer the elves when we have an army.”

“Why do you speak of work yet to be done - is _nothing_ prepared?”

“I apologize again my lord. The Valar rounded up most of your supporters, and there are none left I would trust to run a fortress. I could not run it myself from here and be focused enough to develop the tools I thought I needed to release you.”

“It would have been better if you had just taken the materials and done your forging in a fortress.” He looked at the cringing Maia. “Still, I suppose I should know better than to expect perfection from you. I can start from here. Gather up anything useful and we shall go east.”

Annatar gestured, and half a dozen pieces of jewelry in the room - including a necklace Celebrimbor had made for the Maia himself and had absolutely no special properties - flew to his hand. “Done, my lord. If I might be so bold as to suggest it, we should maintain the element of surprise as long as possible. This city already knows I’m a Maia and trusts me; we will get out with the least fuss if I let them think you are simply another Maia, not your illustrious self.”

“Hmph. I pretended to be weak in Valinor when under Manwe’s thumb, and I have developed a distaste for it. How long would I have to hide my glory?”

“Only a few hours, my lord, until we are outside of the city walls”

Morgoth sighed. “I suppose simply killing everyone who tries to waylay me would give the elves more of a warning. Fine, you may guide me out of the city.”

“Of course my lord. This is the quickest path to the east gate…” Annatar’s voice trailed off as he led Morgoth out of the room.”

Celebrimbor waited several minutes, as he knew that Annatar could hear across greater distances than an elf and a Vala’s senses were presumably even stronger. When they ought to be at least a mile away, unless Morgoth had stopped to take in sights or murder random strangers, he shoved open the wardrobe doors. If he warned the city and people tried to attack Morgoth they would simply get slaughtered - it was a city of craftsmen, not soldiers. And even the soldiers were not prepared for war with a Vala anymore.

Celebrimbor rushed instead to his office, and grabbed the palantir from its shelf. “King Gil-Galad? I have terrible news from Ost-in-Edhil, it’s urgent, pick up your damn palantir.”

After a few minutes of this, the high king’s face did appeared. “If this is about the lack of crown funding for mining again, I’m going to be really annoyed.’

“Morgoth has broken out of the void and is heading to the east with Annatar to establish a fortress. And in retrospect, Annatar is probably Sauron.”

Gil-Galad stood in shock for a moment. “Why is it always your side of the family that starts these things? Right, I’ll summon my council and prepare for war.”


End file.
